Before You Convert Your Attic

If you have been considering moving any time recently, you may have found that your home is actually worth less than it was not so long ago. The housing market is not looking too good for sellers at this point. If your motivation for selling was to get more room for your family, you may want to consider a remodeling project instead of a move to a new location. One possibility that you might be considering is converting your attic into a more livable space. This can be a great way to increase your home’s value and provide more space for your family, but it can also get quite expensive.

Before you decide to tackle such a project on your own, you should realize that this can be quite a project. It is not a casual do it yourself project. If you are not completely qualified and comfortable with the job, it should be left to a professional. This will certainly increase the initial cost, but the costs associated with doing such a job incorrectly can be substantial.

As you assess the project, there are many things to consider. A few of these should be apparent as you take a look at your attic’s present condition. First of all, take a look at how much room there is to move. If you have a low sloping ceiling/roof overhead, that will need to be raised, things will be much more involved than if you have a loft type attic with plenty of room. Realize that the cost for this will be considerable. If you are alright with the ceiling situation, then take a look down at the floor. It may be that you will need to have proper flooring installed, which can also be an expensive proposition. Finally, do not forget that you will probably want to add insulation, appropriate ventilation and possibly finished walls to complete the project.

If you have gone through all of the preliminary assessments and still want to continue with the project, it would be wise to call in the help of a designer or architect to assure that things are being done safely and up to code. In the long run, making such a dramatic home improvement may be worth it, as the market for houses will most likely get better at some point. In the short term however, you should be sure that you can handle all of the costs involved without driving yourself into debt.